And with this they plan to conquer the world? I wonder if they’re issued walkers & wheelchairs before going into battle?
At Landstuhl, where most soldiers injured downrange go for medical treatment, more troops arrive with noncombat injuries than fighting wounds. Eight out of 10 soldiers airlifted from battle zones since the beginning of the war in Iraq were treated for noncombat injuries, according to the reserve affairs office.
They suffer from diseases such heart problems, joint pain or noncombat injuries such as fractures suffered during training. Atop the list of ailments is chest pain, followed by back pain and hernias. For Dr. (Col.) Randolph Modlin, chief of cardiology at Landstuhl, the figures are easy to explain. “We’ve never gone to war with guys as old as this before,” he said.
In 2004 alone, Landstuhl physicians treated 559 soldiers who suffered from heart disease or experienced chest pain downrange, according to hospital statistics. That’s an average of almost 11 heart patients a week. By comparison, the hospital treated an average of 24 patients a week for all types of war wounds combined last year, according to hospital statistics. While most heart patients are over age 40, like Wolfe, Modlin said doctors have seen clogged arteries in reservists in their 30s.
Loading ...